Christian Friedrich Kramer II ^{1 2 3 4 5}

  General Notes:

The following is a discharge certificate from the Prussian Government, relinquishing citizenship in that country. In 1855 the government was Prussian, not German.

The undersigned Royal Government hereby certifies that Christian Frederick Kramer from Claushagen, born 20 May 1799, at his request and his intention to emigrate to America with his wife, Maria Christine Koeppen, born 30 Jun 1800, and the following children, under parental supervision Christian Frederick, born 9 Sep 1828 George Frederick Wilhelm, born 23 Aug 1844 has been granted discharge from the Prussian citizenship. This discharge document is valid only for the persons named above and is effective at the time of issue.

Issued in Potsdam (capital of Prussia)
Discharge Certificate #2214 in Aug 1855
(It is thought that these certificates were numbered beginning at the first of each month, indicating that this certificate Number 2,214 was issued at the peak of the immigration wave.)
1/2 Thaler paid (Thaler was a form of currency)
Two other Kramer brothers also emigrated and came to settle with the family, apparently at a later date.
(Source: Cindy Klemm)
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Source: "The History of Winona County" page 958:
"Christian Kramer (deceased), was born in Brandenburg, Germany in 1799. He married Christina Köppen, and had five sons, two of whom reside in Utica, one at Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, one at Dodge Center, and the other near Mankato, Minnesota. In 1856 Mr. Kramer emigrated direct to this township, and bought 280 acres of land on Sections 1 & 2. He gave 40 acres to each of his sons, leaving eighty acres in his own homestead. He died on 26 Dec 1867, and Mrs. Kramer died in Dec 1881."
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Source: Cindy Klemm
Christian Frederick Kramer born 20 May 1799, at Klaushagen, Province of Brandenburg, near Berlin. Christian was an orphan, whose parents were killed while traveling. He was a small man. Date of death and burial place believed to be at Silo.

Khoesmia Marie Christina Koeppen born 30 Jun 1800, at Klaushagen, Province of Brandenburg, daughter of Martin Koeppen, a farmer, church elder and assessor, and Christine Karoske. Maria Christina was an only child; from a family of wealth, according to oral history. Her daughter-in-law, George Frederick's wife, was later to say that Maria Christina, had silk and laces and & quote "acted as if she had them".

Maria Christina ran away with Christian Frederick. They were married 17 Nov 1825, at Klaushagen.

They emigrated to the United States on 30 Aug 1855 with their oldest and the youngest sons.

The Kramer family farm was at Silo, Minnesota, between Lewiston and Stockton. The farm site may have been where a grove of trees can now be seen across the road from the Lutheran church at Silo. After the death of Christian Frederick, Marie Christina lived with her youngest son, George Frederick and his family. It is said that she had a rather fierce temper. She died 17 Dec 1882 at Mt. Vernon Twp. and is buried at the Lutheran Cemetery, Silo. There is no marker.
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There appears to be no current real geographic area known as "Silo" in Winona County and most researchers believe it to refer to the area around the old Silo Immanuel Lutheran Church and Cemetery in Utica Township.
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  Baptism Notes:

Evangelical Lutheran Church
Klaushagen, Uckermark, Brandenburg, GERMANY
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  Noted events in his life were:

• 1845 Germany Census: 1845, in Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, GERMANY. ¹ 1845 Germany Census
Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, Germany
Wichmannsdorf Notizbuch Datenbank Nr. 893 Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, Germany
Christian Friedrich Kramer..Head..1799
(Living with wife and children.)
.

• He immigrated onboard the ship Ippland arriving on 25 August 1856 at New York.
¹ Chr. Kramer
Occupation Farmer
Age 56
Sex M
Literacy U
Arrived 25 Aug 1856
Origin Germany
Port Bremen
Last Residence U
Destination Wisconsin
Plan Unknown
Ship Ippland
Passage Unknown
.

• He appeared on the 1860 US Census in Township 110W Range 9, Winona County, MN on 14 July 1860. ³

1860 US Census
Page 84, Roll 576, Dwelling 710, Family 683
Township 110W Range 9, Winona County, Minnesota
Christian Cramer..61..PRUSSIA..Farmer
(Living with wife and 3 sons.)
.

• He was naturalized on 12 May 1863. ¹

• He appeared on the 1865 Minnesota State Census in Utica, MN on 1 June 1865.

1865 Minnesota State Census
Volume 11, Family 122
Utica, Winona County, Minnesota
Christian Kramer..
(Living with wife.)
. ⁵

• He was buried on 29 December 1867 in the Silo Immanuel Cemetery in Lewiston, MN.

Find A Grave Memorial #121071571
. ⁴

Christian married Maria Christine Köppen, daughter of Martin Köppen and Christina Kroske, on 17 November 1824 in Klaushagen, Uckermark, Brandenburg, GERMANY.¹ (Maria Christine Köppen was born on 30 June 1800 in Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, GERMANY ^{1 2 3 6 7 8}, baptized on 6 July 1800 in Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wichmannsdorf, Brandenburg, Germany, died on 17 December 1882 in , Trempealeau County, WI ^{1 2 8} and was buried on 20 December 1882 in Lewiston, MN ^{1 8}.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• 1845 Germany Census: 1845, in Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, GERMANY. ¹ 1845 Germany Census
Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, Germany
Wichmannsdorf Notizbuch Datenbank Nr. 893 Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, Germany
Christian Friedrich Kramer..Head..1799
**Christian Friedrich Kramer..Father..1768 - 17 Dec 1844
**Christine Kramer..Mother..3 Jun 1773 - 05 Mar 1828..Wichmannsdorf
Marie Christine Kramer..Wife.30 Jun 1800
Georg Friedrich Kramer..Son..26 Sep 1826 - 1837
Christian Friedrich Kramer..Son..9 Sep 1828
Carl Friedrich Kramer..Son..5 Sep 1830
Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer..Son..13 Sep 1832
Joachim Friedrich Kramer..Son..13 Sep 1832
George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer..Son..23 Aug 1834 - 1837
Ferdinand Kramer..Son..17 Apr 1835 - 22 Mar 1839
George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer..Son..23 Aug 1844

NOTE: German census listed deceased paternal parents to establish lineage of farms. Though the Kramer farm was geographically located in Klaushagen, the incorporated village of Wichmannsdorf is listed as the place of residence.
.

• They appeared on the 1860 US Census in Township 110W Range 9, Winona County, MN on 14 July 1860. ³

1860 US Census
Page 84, Roll 576, Dwelling 710, Family 683
Township 110W Range 9, Winona County, Minnesota
Christian Cramer..61..PRUSSIA..Farmer
Christena Cramer..60..PRUSSIA
Christian Cramer..31..PRUSSIA..Farm Hand
William Cramer..27..PRUSSIA..Farm Hand
Frederick Cramer..15..PRUSSIA..Farm Hand
.

• They appeared on the 1865 Minnesota State Census in Utica, MN on 1 June 1865.

1865 Minnesota State Census
Volume 11, Family 122
Utica, Winona County, Minnesota
Christian Kramer..M
Christena Kramer..F

Lived next to his son, Christian Jr.
. ⁵

  Marriage Notes:

The following is a discharge certificate from the Prussian Government, relinquishing citizenship in that country. In 1855 the government was Prussian, not German.

The undersigned Royal Government hereby certifies that Christian Frederick Kramer from Claushagen, born May 20, 1799, at his request and his intention to emigrate to America with his wife, Maria Christine Koeppen, born June 30, 1800, and the following children, under parental supervision Christian Frederick, born 09 September 1828 George Frederick Wilhelm, born 23 August 1844 has been granted discharge from the Prussian citizenship. This discharge document is valid only for the persons named above and is effective at the time of issue.

Issued in Potsdam (capital of Prussia)
Discharge Certificate #2214 in August, 1855
(It is thought that these certificates were numbered beginning at the first of each month, indicating that this certificate Number 2,214 was issued at the peak of the immigration wave.)
1/2 Thaler paid (Thaler was a form of currency)
Two other Kramer brothers also emigrated and came to settle with the family, apparently at a later date.
(Source: Cindy Klemm)
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The Kramer family left Germany on 24 Jul 1856 and arrived in New York on 24 August 1856. Immigration record of Christian Friedrich Kramer II and his wife Maria Christine (Köppen) Kramer indicate that the Kramer family emigrated to America, filing papers with Prussian government 30 August 1855. Two of the five children, Christian Friedrich Kramer III, and his brother, George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer, came to America with their parents, while three brothers remained behind (with relatives). The three brothers, Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer and Joachim Kramer (twins), along with their older brother, Carl Kramer, arrived in the USA several years later.

Name......... Occupation...... Age...Arrival......... Origin...... Ship
Chr. Kramer....Farmer.........56...M....25 Aug 1856...Germany...Ippla
F. W. Kramer...Farmer.........23...M....25 Aug 1856...Germany...Ippland
G. F. Kramer....Farmer.........11...M....25 Aug 1856...Germany...Ippla
J. F. Kramer...Farmer.........23...M....25 Aug 1856...Germany...Ippland
Wife of Christian Kramer II (listed as maiden name on ship's manifest)
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Following the death of Christian Friedrich Kramer II in 1867, there apparently were two mortgages issued by the father to each of two sons, William and Frederick. These mortgages were recorded only 8 months before his death and upon his death the family probably wiped the debt clean as part of the estate settlement.

Christina Kramer (Maria Christine Köppen - Mother)
Christian Kramer (Christian Friedrich Kramer III - Son)
Charles Kramer...(Carl Friedrich Kramer - Son)
William Kramer... (Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer - Son)
Joachim Kramer...(Joachim Friedrich Kramer - Son)
Frederick Kramer (George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer - Son)
To
William Kramer...(Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer - Son)
Frederick Kramer (George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer - Son)

We, Christina Kramer, Christian Kramer, Charly Kramer, William Kramer, Joachim Kramer, and Frederick Kramer the heirs and assigns of Christian Kramer deceased from the town of Utica in the County of Winona in the State of Minnesota do hereby certify that a certain Mortgage bearing date the 18th day of April 1867 made and executed by William Kramer and Elizabeth his wife of the first pact to him the said Christian Kramer deceased of the second pact and Recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of the Count of Winona in book "M" of Mortgages on page 617 on the 31st day of May 1867 is fully paid satisfied and discharged.

And one certain Mortgage bearing date the 18th day of April 1867 made and executed by Frederick Kramer of the first part to him the said Christian Kramer deceased of the second part and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds of the County of Winona in book "M" of Mortgages on page 617 on the 31st day of May 1867 is fully paid satisfied and discharged.

Dated this 28th day of January 1869

William Kramer (SEAL)
Joachim Kramer (SEAL)
Frederick Kramer (SEAL)
Christina ("X") Kramer (SEAL)
Christian Kramer (SEAL)
Charles Kramer (SEAL)

Signed in the presence of
Peter Peters, William Schartan

On this 28th day of January 1869 before me came Christina Kramer, Christian Kramer, Charly Kramer, William Kramer, Joachim Kramer, and Frederick Kramer known to me to be same individuals described in and who executed the above certified and acknowledged that they executed the same.
Peter Peters, Justice of the Peace
Filed 9 Feb 1869 at 11:06 o'clock a.m.

NOTE: Transcription of copy (above) of original land record / payment in full of mortgage on Kramer farm in Utica Township, Winona County, Minnesota, dated 28 Jan 1869, and filed 9 Feb 1869 in Winona, Minnesota. Copy in the possession of Robert Westphal, Jr.
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The given names of the children born to Christian Kramer and Maria Christine Koppen deserve special attention. Their first son, Georg Friedrich Kramer, was born in 1826 but apparently died in 1837. Their seventh and last born son was named George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer but generally used the name of Fred or Fredrick through his adult life. He can easily be confused with their 4th born son named Friedrick Wilhelm Kramer but that son generally went by the name of William.

So therefore "William Kramer" was actually "Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer" and "Fred or Fredick Kramer" was actually "George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer". Got it?

It gets worse. There were three other sons all with the middle name of Friedrich but fortunately they all went by their first name which was unique. These three included Christian Friedrich Kramer, Carl Friedrich Kramer, and Joachim Friedrich Kramer.

There was one more son name Ferdinand but his middle name is not known. If the parents were 100% consistent, then it probably also was Friedrich.
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